This character piece by Franz Hitz explores the binary nature of 'Colère' (anger) and 'sourire' (smile), creating an episodic structure. Its distinctiveness comes from the sudden, jarring shifts between turbulent, aggressive passages and soft, melodic sections.
At Henle 4 this is an intermediate piece that expects secure technique and real attention to phrasing. The main demands: sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc; a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment; and rubato that must breathe naturally without losing the pulse.
The main challenge is executing the immediate shift in tone and touch between the contrasting thematic sections.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
A level or two down with the same spirit — ideal if this piece is still out of reach.
Where this piece's skills lead: slightly harder works making similar technical demands.
Lesser-known works by the same hand, at a comparable level.
Colère et sourire (Op.340) is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 5.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 4 — meaning you can already play level 3–4 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
A typical performance of Colère et sourire (Op.340) lasts about 3 minutes.
Colère et sourire (Op.340) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.
Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Bonne nuit by Franz Hitz, Ballet des ondines by Franz Hitz, Circé by Franz Hitz — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.